Improvement in marine propulsion



@ditchgitane latrnt .attra ANDREW JREYNOLDS, OF 'STURGIS, MCHIGAN.

LettersPateizt No. 75,648, dated .darc/r 17, 1868.

`IMPRoVBIrIENT'1N MARINE raorntsioti.` @te ttrhtleyrifant in it that tettrts rtmt mit mating mit nf .tige same.

M TO ALL WHOM IT MAY OONCERN':

Be it knownthat I, ANDREW J. REYNOLDS, of Sturgis, in the connty of St. Joseph, and State of Michigan,

e have invented a new and useiul Improvement in Marine Propulsion; anclI do hereby declare the .following to be a full, clear, and exa-ct description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part of this specification.

` My invention consists of a propelling-apparatus embodying the essential characteristicsof a paddledvheel and water-wheel; that is to say, the apparatus is'oi` the rotating kind, is'drivenby the imp ingement or weightl ot' water discharged from an elevated reservoir on to the buckcts, and has paddles or blades,whcise consequent action upon'the buoying witter propels `the vessel.

Figo 1 is a 4sectional side elevation of a vessel with my invent-ion applied Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view-of the same, the propellingdevice at one side being shown in secr tion, and that at the other side Jin elevation. t i

Similar letters of reference represent corresponding parts in the two figures.` In thedrawings, A may represent a vessel having a compound propelling-wheel at each side. As one of 4these compound propelling-wheels is but a duplicate oi the other, the ensuing description will apply to the` wheel-work situated atA either side ofthe vessel.` B is an arbor, rotating in suitable bearings in the vessel.

'G'C are two wheels, or annular'side-pieces, whose hubs are fitted loosely upon,l the arbor B, and connect with vthe rilixsA by radial arms. ac c are arms (see iig. l) projecting at revulvar intervals'rom the rims of the wheels` C, and slotted, so as Ato receive the blades or paddles C', which 'arermly held in place. The wheels C C and paddles C', combined as above, constitute a paddleQwheel. The paddlewheel YC C C encloses a water-wheel, D D', which is made in twoparts, with radialV arms and hubs the` same as C C; 'but the hubs of the parts D D are made to 'engage with splines, on the shaft B, so that the water-wheel is compelled to rotate with Said shaft. The water-wheel is of somewhat smaller diameter thanV the paddle-n'heel, but concentric therewith.

Y The tails ofthe buckets D of the water-wheel are attached by pivots, CZ, to the rims of `the water-wheel, and

pins, et', projecting from theopposite sides of the buckets D', midway between their mouths and tails, occupy slots, c', in the rims ot' the paddlefwheel. It will he seen that the pins d have suicientplay in the slots c to wheel from the paddle-wheel, Vfor when the wheelsv have been thus unclutehed, the weight of the waterfn the buckets v r-wheel to turn within, and in a' reverse direction to the paddle-wheel, the extent of such reverse motion being determined by the'play of the pins cZ" withiu the slots c. As a consequence of this backwardmotioniot' the water-wheel, the buckets are reversed inlposition, and thereby adapted to, receivewater at the right-hand sido o f the wheel, and impart rotation to the paddlewheel and water-wheel in a contrary direction to that in which they previously turned. As soon as the buckets are fairly reversed, .the water andrpaddle-wheels are locked together' by the clutch F. The elevated reservoir G has sliding gates, G1, one for the propelling-apparatus at each side ofV the vessel, whereby thewater may be shutoff at one. ofthe outlets G2, and allowed to ow through the other, according to the direction ofthe wheelsv rotation, or prevented fromow'ing through either outlet when'the propellingsmechanism is to remain at rest. The gate Gl'may' be shifted fromone position to another by hand, throuhl the medium o f the rack H cogged segment HI, connecting-rodsH2 H4, and lever H3, or any other suitable connections,

permit the buckets D to vibrate on their pivots d to the extent of about one-fourth of a revolution. YHence,

The reservoir'G is constructed and supported in any suitable manner, and the eiiective power ofthe water upon the wheels may bc determined by the height of the reservoir or the size of the discharge-outlets. Water is pumped into the reservoir G by one or more double-acting steam pumps, l, discharging n'ater into the reservoir at the opposite sides thereof through the pipes J J.

'The propelling-mechanism and pumping-engine are entirely independent of eachother, so that the engine may be in full operation while-the propelling and water-wheels are at rcst'; and though the converse is also true, it may 1not be expedient to have the propelling-wheels operate for any considerable length of time while the pump remains idle.

This mode of propulsion dispenses with the exppensiverand easily-impaired mechanism which is necessarily employed to connect the engine with the'wlieels under tbe common mode of propulsion. It'also enables the vessel to be placed wholly under the control of the pilot, who may,'by operating the clutch F through suitable connections, reverse the water-Wheel so as to move the vessel backward or forward at will. Of course the gates may be made to enlarge or contract the reservoirs outlets, and the speed of the vessel is diminished ei" increased accordingly.

It will be seen that by connecting the buckets D/ by the pins d to the rim of the wheel C C, motion is imparted to the latter without being irst communicated to and then transferred from the arbor B. v This rimconnection'relieves the wheels from strain, and eifects an economical application of the power.`

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new herein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1. A propelling-apparatus for vessels, acting upon the water in which the vessel floats, when' driven by a water-wheel of any suitable construction. p

2. rlhe combination of the wheels C C and D D with thc pivoted buckets D', substantiallyv as and for the purpose set forth. n v

To the above specification of my improvement in marine propulsion, I have signed my hand, this seventh day of December, 1867. l

, ANDREW J. REYNOLDS;

Witnesses:

Guo. A. Menuisier, J. E. M. Bowen.' 

